Diffusion and Osmosis

by

Atani Chinedu
• At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
Cognitive Specific Objectives
1. Define Diffusion and Osmosis
2. List 4 examples of diffusion in a living organisms
3. List four differences between osmosis and diffusion
4. Explain these terms: turgidity, plasmolysis, crenation and
heamolysis, endosmosis and exosmosis, active transport,
pinocytosis and phagocytosis.
Psychomotor
5. Draw the demonstration of osmosis using a raw yam.
Affective
1. The students appreciate the lesson.
Diffusion
Factors that can Speed up the Rate of
Diffusion
• Stirring
• Increase in temperature
• Increased concentration of solute
 Diffusion in Living Organisms
• Digested and soluble food diffuses from the villi of the intestine into
the blood stream and lacteal.
• Food and oxygen diffuse from the blood to the cells and carbon
dioxide diffuses from the cells to the blood.
• Exchange of gases in Amoeba and water, fish and water, lungs and
blood.
• Nutrients and gases pass from mother’s placenta to the foetus and
wastes from the foetus to the placenta.
• Exchange of gases between plant leaves and the atmosphere.
Osmotic Pressure: This is the pressure that is developed by a more
concentrated solution (sugar or salt solution) when water moves into it
through a semi-permeable membrane.
Conditions needed for Osmosis to Occur:
• Presence of a stronger solution e.g. Salt solution
• Presence of a weaker solution e.g. Water
• Presence of a semipermeable membrane
Osmotic Processes in Plants
• Absorption of water from the soil by the root
• Movemen t of water in and out of quard cells of stomata
• Movement of water from one cell to another
Osmotic Processes in Animals
• Reabsorption of water from glomerular filterate in the kidney
• Absorption of water by the colon
• Loss of water through sweating
Demonstration of Osmosis using Peeled
Yam Tuber
• The Peeled Yam Tuber was cut transversely into two thick slices
Labelled A and B;
• A large cavity was made at the middle of each slices and base of each
was flattened;
• A strong sugar/salt solution was poured into the cavity of A, the level
of the solution marked;
• An equal volume of water was poured into the cavity of B;
• And the level of water was marked.
Demonstration of Osmosis using Peeled
Yam Tuber
Set up A and B was placed in a glass trough containing water;
Both set up we’re allowed to stay for some minutes;
• Set up B stands as control;
• At the end, the level of sugar solution in set up A rose above the mark;
• While the level of water in the glass trough decrease;
• The level of water in set up B remained the same, no water entered set B.
• It can be concluded that osmosis occurred in set up A with the yam tuber
serving as a semi-permeable membrane.
Demonstration of Osmosis using Peeled
Yam Tuber
Other Living Materials that can be used to Demonstrate Osmosis
• Pig’s bladder
• Sheep’s bladder
• Unripe pawpaw fruit
• Potato tuber

Non living Materials that can be used to Demonstrate Osmosis

• Cellophane
 Environments of Cells
• Hypertonic Environment: This is an environment that is of greater
concentration that the cell’s content. Exosmosis occurs here, this can
lead to cell death.

• Hypotonic Environment: This is an environment that is of lower

concentration that the cell’s content. Endosmosis occurs here, this can
lead to cell death.

• Isotonic Environment: This is an environment that is of same

concentration that the cell’s content. There is no net movement.
 Osmosis in Animal Cells
• Haemolysis: Is the bursting of the red blood cells in the plasma. This
leads to anaemia which can lead to death. This is an endosmosis.

• Crenation: This is the shrinking of the red blood cells. The cell is said
to be plasmolysed. This is an exosmosis.
Osmosis in Animal Cells
 Osmosis in Plant Cells
• Plasmolysis: The shrinking of the vacuole and pulling away of the
cytoplasmic lining from the cell wall when a plant is in a hypertonic
solution.
• Turgidity: The swelling of the protoplasm of the plant cell when a
plant is in a hypotonic environment. The cell does not burst because
the distention of the cell wall.
• Flacidity: Is the condition in which plants lose water to their
surroundings faster than they can absorb. When plant loses more
water, it is said to be flaccid. Flaccidity may cause wilting & death.
Osmosis in Plant Cells
 Active Transport
• This the movement of ions that requires energy.
• Cells that show active transport:
1.) Have many mitochondria
2.) Have high concentration of ATP
3.) High cellular respiratory rate.
 Active Transport
• The plasm membrane folds (endocytosis) or extends (exocytosis) to
take up or eject materials respectively from the cell.
• Pinocytosis: when the material is liquid.
• Phagocytosis: when the material is a solid.
Differences between Osmosis and Diffusion
 Evaluation
Define Diffusion and Osmosis
List 4 examples of diffusion in a living organisms
List four differences between osmosis and diffusion
Explain these terms: turgidity, plasmolysis, crenation and heamolysis,
endosmosis and exosmosis, active transport, pinocytosis and
phagocytosis.
1. With the aid of a diagram, show the demonstration of osmosis.